Inspiration & Webspiration Classroom

The Inspiration program is truly amazing. It provides both students and teachers with the resources to improve the learning and teaching process of writing. This program allows students to take notes, organize information and structure their writing by using a hands-on approach. The visual diagrams help students formulate ideas and organize those ideas. Teachers can modify the diagrams and use them as a visual aid for their students. I would use Inspiration in my classroom because I know first hand how helpful outlines and idea webs can be. Every time I sit down to write a paper I brainstorm some ideas and put them down on paper. Inspiration would allow my students to brainstorm their ideas and apply them to a diagram. It also makes learning fun because it allows students to create and share. I think that Webspiration Classroom is also a very helpful resource because almost everybody has access to the internet and it allows the students and the teachers to be connected 24/7. Webspiration has some of the same concepts as Inspiration but it is based online. The projects made by the students can be shared with other students which is great because the students can learn from each other. Webspiration Classroom also allows the teacher to provide feedback in a timely manor. 

The type of writing activities that would make the best use of technology are the planning, organizing and peer editing activities. Programs like Inspiration enhance the planning and organizing steps of writing by allowing students to jot down their ideas and add them to a visual diagram. The peer editing process can be greatly improved by implementing technology such as Webspiration Classroom. Students can post their ideas online and have other students view their work and critique it. This can also be done through blogs, online discussion boards and email. Technology allows students to share information where ever and whenever. Teaching or presenting a subject to others not only benefits the audience but it also benefits the presenter. In high school my geometry teacher left to go to another school so we would have substitutes and replacements almost every week. It was very hard to learn from all of the different instructors so I taught myself out of the book then taught my classmates the concepts after class. After explaining each step to my peers several times I knew the material better than I had before. 

Technology can be very helpful when teaching and learning about the writing process. There are programs designed to engage students in their writing and allow them to create something that will help them learn and also help their peers learn. Web based programs like Webspiration allow students and teachers to interact with each other even when they are at home. Technology has become prevalent in our society and it is important that we use it in a positive way that will encourage learning and educate our students. 

Inspiration Software (2011, February 2). Inspiration videos and webcasts for
    using visual learning in your classroom [Video file]. Retrieved from 
    http://www.inspiration.com/videos/Inspiration

Inspiration Software (2011, February 2). Webspiration classroom service: 
   Improve writing and thinking skills [Video file]. Retrieved from 
   http://www.inspiration.com/webspirationclassroom 

Jonassen, D., Howland, J., Marra, R., & Crismond, D.(2008). Meaningful 
    Learning with Technology (3rd ed.). Columbus, OH: Pearson.